SAN ANTONIO FC ADVANCES TO THIRD ROUND OF U.S. OPEN CUP AFTER DEFEATING CORINTHIANS FC

By San Antonio FC Communications, 05/18/16, 10:15PM CDT

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SAFC Will Face Des Moines Menace in Third Round of US Open Cup

San Antonio FC beat Corinthians FC SA 3-1 on Wednesday in the club’s first appearance in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup to advance to the third round of the tournament. SAFC forward Jacques Francois tallied a brace and one assist in his professional debut.

“We started on the front foot, and I thought the first 20 or so minutes we were playing some good soccer,” said SAFC Head Coach Darren Powell. “The second half we didn’t get off to the best of starts but I thought we were in control for most of it. Then we got a goal from Jacques on his first game, basically his first professional game, and he took it well. Then his second goal was a good goal and it was just a matter of seeing out the win.”

The first goal of the match came early when forward Jason Johnson beat the keeper in the third minute after receiving the ball at the top of the box from Francois, giving the hosts the one-goal advantage.

Corinthians found a brief equalizer just after halftime in the 47th minute, when Callum Chapman-Page managed to beat SAFC goalkeeper Josh Ford on the front post with a slow-roller.

Francois recovered the SAFC lead in the 70th minute after scoring off a barraging solo run from midfield before firing a shot into the back of the net. The Haitian added another goal four minutes later with a tap-in after substitute Milton Palacios provided him a square ball inside the visitors’ box.

Midfielder Miguel Salazar earned his first start for SAFC after making four appearances in USL play, while defender Biko Bradnock-Brennan earned his second start.

San Antonio FC will progress to the third round of the U.S. Open Cup, where they will travel to Iowa to face the Des Moines Menace (PDL) after the club defeated Tulsa Roughnecks FC (USL) 2-0 on Wednesday.

SAFC will return to USL action this weekend as they host Oklahoma City Energy FC at Toyota Field on Saturday, May 21 after the teams played to a draw 1-1 in Oklahoma last weekend.

San Antonio FC defeated Corinthians FC SA in the club’s first ever U.S. Open Cup match…SAFC advances to play the Des Moines Menace in Iowa on June 1 for the third round of the Open Cup…the match marked the fourth overall Open Cup match in Toyota Field history

SAFC forward Jacques Francois had an impressive debut for the club…Francois was involved in all three goals, scoring two and assisting one in the match…the rookie striker tallied five shots and three shots on goal

Jason Johnson scored his first Open Cup goal and fourth goal in all competitions for San Antonio FC…the Jamaican scored two goals over the course of the 2015 season with the Chicago Fire (MLS)

SAFC defender Milton Palacios entered the game as a second-half substitute and recorded his first assist of the season…Palacios did not record in assist in 14 appearances with the San Antonio Scorpions (NASL) last season

SAFC midfielder Miguel Salazar made his first start for the club and played 90 minutes in the center of midfield…the rookie joined San Antonio prior to the season from Elon University